Shooting woes continue for Magic as Knicks come to town
Watching from the bench for the second game in a row as the Magic faltered in the second half against the 76ers on Wednesday night, Jonathan Isaac saw multiple opportunities when Orlando could have taken control of the game.
Twice the Magic got within 3 points of Philadelphia and both times Orlando went onto either miss shots or turn the ball over to allow the 76ers to tighten their grip at Kia Center.
“We had a lot of great looks and just couldn’t get some shots to fall,” Isaac told the Sentinel after the loss. “Sometimes it is what it is when it comes to NBA basketball and you kind of just have to chuck it up.”
If the Magic want to take care of business against the Knicks on Friday at home before heading to the west coast for a four-game road trip, they have to sink those open looks (Bally Sports Florida, 7).
Against the 76ers, the Magic shot 30% (6 of 20) on 3-point attempts when the closest defender was six feet or more away from the shooter (aka an open look). The inability to force the defense to extend allows it to pack the paint and take away the Magic’s greatest strength of getting to the rim.
“We can definitely play better together, continue to move the ball and continue to take advantage of our size and mismatches, kind of like they did,” Isaac said.
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In addition to dealing with Orlando’s long-range shooting woes, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley has had to juggle the return of Wendell Carter Jr., who missed 20 games due to a fractured left hand.
Although it’s a small sample size, Carter has looked far from his regular self in his first five games back. He’s averaged 5.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2 assists during 21 minutes in the stretch.
Mosley has tinkered with Orlando’s rotations at center while trying to balance minutes between Carter, reserve Moe Wagner and Goga Bitadze, who made 20 starts in place of Carter.
During the last three games, Carter played the majority of his minutes in the first and third quarters. Wagner filled in during the opening minutes of the second and early portions of fourth quarters. Bitadze has gotten on the court late in the second quarters while closing out the games.
Isaac described the rotations as part of the process when players get hurt and return from injury.
Before Carter’s hand injury, he served as the starting center, Wagner was first off the bench and Bitadze saw limited action. Bitadze moved to Orlando’s opening lineup to keep together the second unit, which flourished with Wagner playing off guard Cole Anthony.
“When Wendell’s out, we have to form an identity and Goga was absolutely fantastic — and has been fantastic,” Isaac said. “Same thing with Moe stepping in.
“But, Wendell is a heck of a player and the way he was playing before he went down was phenomenal. We do have to give him some time and grace to get his legs back under him and get back to the player that he was.”
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As Carter regroups, Isaac (right hamstring strain) is eyeing a return against the Knicks. He and guard Gary Harris (right calf strain) are questionable.
Joe Ingles (left ankle sprain) is out for a sixth consecutive contest.
“I feel good,” Isaac said. “Just had a little soreness in my right hamstring so I should be good for Friday.”
Isaac’s return bodes for Orlando against Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (26 points per game), two-time All-Star Julius Randle (22.9) and Montverde Academy product RJ Barrett (18.2).
Of course, hitting shots beyond the arc would help, too.
The Magic are 15-4 when they shoot 32% or better from 3-point range, in large part because of the scoring in the paint. The team’s 55.9 points in the paint is second-best in the NBA.
The league average from distance is 36% this season. Orlando is 3-8 when shooting 31% or worse from 3. Against the 76ers, it shot 27% in the home loss.
While the long-range accuracy is lacking, the confidence isn’t.
“I’m going to keep telling the boys to shoot it every time because if you don’t shoot it, then it looks crazy,” Jalen Suggs said Wednesday night. “We’re in the gym and guys work on it every day.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on X, also known as Twitter, at @therealBeede.
